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10/24/2012 Listening Lounge

Margaret Chase Smith: Cold Warrior in Pearlsfrom Radio DiariesIn 1964, Margaret Chase Smith became the first woman from a major party to run for President. The Republican Senator ran as a staunch hawk and expert on national defense while she handed out muffin recipes at campaign stops.

Shirley Chisholm: The Politics of Principle from Radio DiariesIn 1972, Shirley Chisholm launched a spirited campaign for the Democratic nomination. She was the first woman and first African American to run. Declaring herself “unbossed and unbought,” she took on the political establishment as the candidate of “all the people.”

Gracie Allen: The Joke That Became a Campaign from Radio DiariesIn 1940 the United States was just emerging from the shadow of the Great Depression and war loomed in Europe. Into these serious times stepped Gracie Allen, part of the popular comic duo Burns and Allen, who launched a campaign for President. Allen’s ‘Surprise Party’ began as a publicity stunt, but during a whistle-stop tour across the country the campaign took on a life of its own.

Alben Barkley: The “Veep” by Radio Diariesfrom Radio DiariesBarkley served in Congress for close to 40 years and was Harry Truman’s vice president from 1948-1952. Though he wanted to be President himself, Barkley never made it to the pinnacle of power. Only 14 VP’s have gone on to the presidency; the majority have, for the most part, lapsed into relative obscurity once their term was over. Barkley, too, might have been forgotten except for two things: His nickname and the remarkable circumstance of his death.